Momentum Women™ Honor MacDella Cooper

In 2004, Cooper founded The MacDella Cooper Foundation (MCF), a 501c3 international charitable organization devoted to empowering Liberian youth, especially orphans and abandoned children, by providing education and basic necessities. Known as "Liberia's Angel," Cooper's life is dedicated to these children in Liberia. Companies, individuals, and organizations including Frank Crystal & Company and CESLIE-The Women's Network™ are proud to support MCF.

Throughout the year, CESLIE- THE WOMEN'S NETWORK™ hosts the Company's women's service organization Momentum Women™ members and honors a woman with the Momentum Award™ who personifies the qualities that set the standard for today's modern woman. In November of 2007, we were pleased to honor, MACDELLA COOPER

For two hours, the Momentum Women membership, executives from co-underwriter Frank Crystal & Company, and invited guests networked, exchanged ideas (and business cards) while enjoying delicious POMtini's in the absolutely beautiful setting of the internationally famous The World Bar. Ceslie Armstrong introduced the evening's honoree and founder of the MacDella Cooper Foundation and presented her with the Tiffany & Company engraved crystal Momentum Award.

In 2004, Cooper founded The MacDella Cooper Foundation (MCF), a 501c3 international charitable organization devoted to empowering Liberian youth, especially orphans and abandoned children, by providing education and basic necessities. Known as "Liberia's Angel," Cooper's life is dedicated to these children in Liberia. Companies, individuals, and organizations including Frank Crystal & Company and CESLIE-The Women's Network™ are proud to support MCF.

MacDella Cooper was born in Monrovia, Liberia in 1977. In early 1990, a brutal civil war started in Liberia. The nation's economic, political and social systems were decimated. The United Nations estimates that 250,000 people were killed and one million were displaced. More than 700,000 Liberians fled to neighboring countries to avoid the war. MacDella Cooper was one of them.

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(L) Mary Gust & Sabina Ptacin

(R) Dawn Cooper Barnes & Linda Ann Rentschier

Less fortunate refugees have been living in camps for more than 10 years. Children suffered the most damage; a high percentage of them were recruited as child soldiers and the boys were taken to fight and the girls were taken as sex slaves. Other children were abandoned or orphaned. She escaped to the bordering Ivory Coast after the death of her stepfather at the end of 1990. In November 1993, she finally got clearance to come to the United States and was reunited with her family. She received a full academic scholarship to college, where she obtained a degree in Electronic Communication. After graduating, she moved to Manhattan to pursue a career in fashion and corporate event planning. Cooper never forgot how much suffering her fellow Liberians endured. To help those in Monrovia, Cooper began donating to individuals, orphanages and women's groups five years ago. Those efforts grew into the MacDella Cooper Foundation.

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Today, Liberia has democratically elected the first female president on the continent of Africa. Since her inauguration in January 2006, President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, with the help of the United Nations and the international community, has done an incredible job restoring order and peace to Liberia. President Sirleaf is working tirelessly to weed corruption out of government and create transparency. Former rebel leader Charles Taylor is now on trial for war crimes. Many Liberians who fled the country are now returning to help rebuild the country's infrastructure and economic strength.Public schools in Liberia remain closed but most private schools are open. Despite the progress that has been made, there are still many in need who are not being reached. 85% of the population in Liberia lives well below the poverty line.

Cooperâ€™s dream is to educate as many Liberian children as MCF can support, so that they can later contribute to the economic redevelopment of the country and to make sure Liberia's history is not repeated. "I believe that education is the saving grace of Liberia and Africa as a whole," says Cooper, "But to promote education, we must first provide the basic needs -- shelter, food, clothing and security." Some of the evening's attendees included:

Frank Crystal & Company, one of the nationâ€™s largest insurance brokerage firms in the United States with more than 70 years of service, has earned the trust of numerous high net-worth individuals, family offices, non-profits, and corporations. As the alternative in insurance brokerage, Frank Crystal understands and appreciates the need for professional advice and seamlessly integrated programs to protect the personal and business insurance needs for high net-worth individuals.

Frank Crystal & Company provides it's clients with a total insurance solution on a personal level and in business. Their superior industry knowledge and exceptional technical expertise allows them to provide their client's with a tailored insurance solution specifically designed to meet today's complex needs. Whether in a country home or a boardroom, a woman has specific and complex insurance needs. Frank Crystal has a proven track record of serving and protecting the assets of women. For a premier property in a catastrophe prone region or unique collections such as fine art or jewelry or a business interest in a high-tech company, Frank Crystal provides the highest level of service and protection.